1). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a computer system and method for transacting Bitcoin.
2). Discussion of Related Art
The Bitcoin network is a peer-to-peer payment system having a plurality of nodes that are connected to one another. Bitcoin exchange computer systems allow for users to exchange local currency into or out of Bitcoin. Users send payments by broadcasting digitally signed messages to the Bitcoin network. Users may, for example, send and receive payments using mobile applications on mobile devices, client software or a web browser.
Transactions do not explicitly identify the payor and payee by name or wallet. Instead, a Bitcoin transaction transfers ownership to a new address, referred to as a “Bitcoin address”. The Bitcoin address is derived from the public portion of one or more cryptographic key pairs. The private portion of a key pair is not disclosed to the public. To send Bitcoin sent to an address, a user broadcasts a payment message that is digitally signed with the associated private key.
Participants known as “miners” at miner computer systems verify and timestamp transactions into a shared public database called a “block chain”. The miners are rewarded with transaction fees and newly minted Bitcoin for their effort. The miner computer systems are specialized computers that append blocks of transactions to the block chain. Solving a cryptographic puzzle required to append a block carries a reward plus fees included in transactions in the block.
Host computer systems reside at various nodes and may host accounts or “wallets” that allow users to make and accept payments using Bitcoin. The wallet stores the public key of the Bitcoin address and its associated private key.
The transfer of Bitcoin may be an onerous task if the entire public key of the Bitcoin address has to be copied and transmitted.
When a transaction is made between two wallets at the same or different host computer systems, the transaction is broadcast to the Bitcoin network for block chain verification. Such a block chain verification may take a long time to complete. Miner fees are also associated with such a transfer and have to be paid by a host computer system requesting the transfer.
It may be a security concern for users that their Bitcoin addresses may be stolen from their wallets. Existing systems do not provide a solution for maintaining security of Bitcoin addresses while still allowing the users to use Bitcoin addresses within their wallets for transacting with other users.
A merchant computer system often has an online store and a website. A customer at a customer computer system may use a browser to access the online store via the website. Items are displayed for purchase in a local currency. Exchange rate between Bitcoin and local currency changes over short periods of time. The price in local currency may thus change between the time that the local currency is displayed to the customer and the time that the customer decides to make the purchase. As a result, the customer or the merchant may incur a loss in local currency. The customer or merchant may then be reluctant to purchase using Bitcoin.
In order for a user to access their wallet, the user may log into their account through the website using a user name and password. If the user name and password become compromised then it may be possible for Bitcoin to be stolen out of the wallet. Users may therefore be reluctant to store Bitcoin in their wallets without any additional security features.
Bitcoin transacting requires the use of a public key and a private key. The private key is used to sign an authorization and the public key is used to verify the signature. Some users may require control over their private keys in order to ensure to such users that Bitcoin transacting will not take place without their express authorization.
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